The forecast doesn't predict too much rain in the coming week so we will probably end up with the third wettest year on record with 2,825mm recorded thus far.  That sits behind 1999 with 2,874mm and 1906 with 3,193mm being the wettest ever.  Perhaps the most startling fact is that over the past three years we have recorded 2,735mm, 2,413mm and the 2,825mm this year for a three year running total of 7,973mm which is just shy of eight metres of rain.  That is the first time since records started in 1886 that there has been three consecutive years of more than 2,000mm and there has only been more than 2,000mm in two consecutive years a handful of times.  So we have certainly experienced something unique.

The general weather is still very cool for this time of year with the ''normal'' summer not quite here yet.  Yesterday was the summer solstice so you would think that we should really start to warm up now but we are way behind where we need to be for the turf.  The photo below shows 13R fairway collection area on the left side of the fairway and all the divots are still evident.  At this time of year you would expect much more rapid growth and very few divots showing.

Divots still evident @ 13R.

 

Having said all that about the lack of heat you generally don't see a Lace Monitor until it is really hot in the thick of summer but this two and a half metre giant was taking a stroll out the front of the maintenance shed today.

 

 

The greens on both courses got de-thatched this week and we went a little deeper than we normally would at this time of year following the less severe renovation that they received due to the weather.  This will be ongoing throughout summer as we try and stay on top of the organic matter build up.  The greens are mowed straight after and it is interesting to note the ''scalped'' effect that is noticeable on the 328 River greens compared to the TifEagle West greens with no apparent scalp.  328 is notorious for becoming puffy and therefore to scalping in these circumstances.